Haye Li's birth story

And all that planning for nothing. LOL.

So, she did listen to me after all….Initially, I did tell her to come out 23rd onwards and to be in between 2.5 – 3 kgs. And she came out on 23rd October 2008 morning at 2.75kgs.

Ironically, the night before, we had dinner at Rye Li’s Godfather’s parent’s place. The day before Rye Li was born, we had lunch with them too. That day after my last checkup with my doc, we were invited over to their place for dinner and the aunty was saying “you come over for dinner, sure your baby come out tomorrow!” which of course, I didn’t want as I wasn’t ready yet. Who knew then, that it would come out to be true! :)

After dinner, we reached home at 10 plus. I had my shower, washed my hair (I wash my hair everyday!) and went to bed. I couldn’t really sleep so I was playing with a game on my mobile. Finally slept about 12 plus.

I got up at 4am as I was experiencing painful period cramps again. I didn’t really think that it was IT as I have been having this for the last 4 weeks now. Then, Rye Li asked for milk and I made it for her. So happened hubby couldn’t sleep too and he was awake. Told him about my cramps and he went back to bed. About 4-30am, I decided to get up to pee.

I noticed a slight discharge, yellowish greenish type which I didn’t think twice about it as I get a lot of discharge during my pregnancies. After I peed, I realized that there were some more discharge and I looked down to notice it was pinklsh and sensed that this could be IT. Got hubby to wake up and he asked how sure I was, then there was some slight bloodish discharge which I told him it was a “show”. I started to panic (again) as I haven’t finished my work yet and I was really looking forward to my days off! Got the look from hubby and then I changed ‘frequency’ and said I’m not sure where to put Rye Li and the maid!

Anyway, I got the maid up to pack Rye Li’s stuff while I went and shower again (yes, I need to wash my hair even though I washed it like 6 hours previously!). Hubby went and got the car ready and we didn’t wake Rye Li up till it was time to leave the house.

I actually felt like poo-ing when the “show” came but I didn’t dare as I knew this is one of the signs of baby coming out. But I wasn’t having any contractions yet.

We left the house at 5am and I called my mom on the way to the hospital. Usually, she would be awake by this time for her morning walks but she didn’t pick her phone up. Called my sister’s maid (my sister and my parents stay at the same condo) and she was awake, asked her to go wake my mom up as I wanted my mom to come meet us at the hospital to pick the girl and maid up. My parent’s place is nearby the hospital and I was telling hubby since I’m not having any contractions (actually, I wasn’t sure what I was feeling then were contractions, or from the urge to poo or from the period cramps) and it was bearable, we should just drop Rye Li and the maid off my sister’s place.

I got my sister’s maid to come down and get the girl. I was surprised how calm Rye Li was throughout the whole thing – we explained to her what was happening and that once her mei-mei is out, papa will come pick her up to see us. She did show her sulky face but she didn’t cry or anything and willingly went to my sister’s maid (of course, I packed her doll along and some M & M’s and I told her this too!). I was worried about her the whole time till the last half hour of me giving birth that day. I have to say that Rye Li was my focused most of the time of my labour.

By the time we got to the hospital was about 5-45am or so. They checked me first for contractions on the CTG thingy and only when they realized I was having contractions (which wasn’t that obvious to me as it was like light period cramps), that they allow us to register. Usually, they said that they will send people home if there were no contractions. Anyway, they checked me ‘there’ and said I was 4cm dilated already and since it was my second time, it should be fast around 10-11am.

I was contemplating whether to take epidural or not but since it was early morning again like Rye Li’s and I wasn’t sure whether I would also dilate just as fast this time round, I felt that it would be a waste if I took the epidural and there won’t be any effect on me. So I decided not to. Even the midwife was against me taking it since they guarantee that it would be very fast for me and that it would be a waste of money. The midwives were really the old school thinking type, they are older than my mom!

After clearing my bowels and all, I went to the delivery ward. It was around 6-30am now and the contractions were still bearable (every 5 mins or so) but I asked for panthedine. The jab at my bum was really painful (and I still got a bruise from it till now) and several minutes later, I felt really tired and sleepy.

I tried to rest in between the contractions and chatted a little with hubby. I refused to take the gas yet although it was given to me. And all the time I kept looking up at the time. The midwives (second shift by this time) didn’t even check me there again and only told me that if I feel the urge to poo, to inform them.

By 8-20am, the contractions got intense and lasted longer. After the 3rd one or so, I started taking the gas and told hubby to tell the midwives to check me as I also felt the urge to poo. One of them came in and told me that my doctor was on the way and that he would check me. I think she realize that I was really in pain that she said she would check me. She took her own sweet time getting the gloves on and all.

The last half hour, my eyes were shut tight as I was already in pain and I was focusing on my breathing through the gas mask. I wasn’t even talking but there were so many stuff and words going through my head and most of them were cursing at those around me. As she took so long just to check me, I was cursing her for this. I knew it was just several minutes or perhaps seconds but to me then, it felt like hours! When she checked me, I heard her said that I was 7-8cm dilated already and said to wait for my doctor and this was where I started cursing my doctor too especially when the contractions became unbearable!

One of the midwives was guiding me to breathe through the gas mask and I listened to her over 90% of the time (the balance was when I just went with the flow of the pain). All this time, my left hand was holding on to hubby’s hand and I really squeezed his hands when the pain got unbearable. I didn’t really scream this time but grunted (with clenched teeth) quite loudly when it was painful and I felt the effects of the gas and perhaps panthedine through my head. I also heard the midwife said that she could see the membranes already.

I was really drowsy and because the whole scene reminded me of Rye Li’s birth, I became emotional too and was sobbing towards the end. You can call it self pity or whatever, but I was just going on with the flow and cursing my doctor at the same time as there were no signs of him and I already felt like pushing. In the end, I remembered my colleague’s wife who just delivered a week before me didn’t have her doctor in time too when her baby came out and it dawned on me that I could also have my baby without my doctor! Just as I was going to push (while hearing the midwife said to wait for my doctor), I heard my doctor’s voice. I think he came in several minutes before Haye Li came out.

I think he took some time to change too (I’m not sure as my eyes were shut) but whatever it was, I was already pushing which I didn’t know I was and then I heard my doctor said “don’t push” which caught me off guard. I didn’t know Haye Li was out already and I was sobbing still in between. Haye Li’s cries could be heard throughout, definitely much more than her sister’s. The effects of the panthedine were still there and some of the events were a blur to me but I could hear the conversations going on with the midwives, my doctor and hubby. This also I found irritating (I’m guessing due to me being drowsy) and I really wanted to ask them to shut up but of course I didn’t. Only coz I was too groggy already…LOL.

The taking out of the placenta was also painful to me and so was the ‘cleaning’ me part. I didn’t talk at all throughout the whole thing, in fact, I didn’t even talk to my doctor till I saw him later that evening. When he left, the midwives just let me be and brought Haye Li to me for breastfeeding. I managed to be with her for like half hour or so before being transferred to my room. I was still groggy from the whole thing and was not in the mood to talk unlike Rye Li’s when I felt so energetic after she came out. So I’m guessing it’s got to do with the panthedine.

Now, thinking back, everything went very fast although the half hour of pain felt like a lifetime then. I know I’m considered very lucky already and I have been asked by many to have no. 3 since it was so easy for me. Well, I’m still traumatized by the whole thing and not forgetting the aftermath of it which I will blog about it when I can.

So in summary, on 23rd October 2008;

4 plus am – had a show
5 -45am – admitted to hospital
6am – contractions with 4 cm dilation
6-30am – entered delivery ward, had panthedine with contractions about every 5 mins
8-20am – contractions more intense and longer, started using the gas mask, 7-8cm dilated
8-50am – Haye Li is out

This round of labour took me about 4 hours or so since the “show” with real pain of half hour. No epidural which still amazes me that I survived another round of labour pain. No, please don’t ask when is no. 3 coming along. Now is not a good time for that question!